Destiny
by darei
Summary: Hey, just decided to put this fic out again till I start a new one. Anyways, characters aren't what they seem in the show...be warned. Taiora and a little Koumi. The title? A little common, I know, but hopefully the plot isn't common...please R&R!!!


Disclaimer: I don't know if this is going on the net. But I don't own anything.  
  
Author's Note: Hey everybody!! Anyways, as you know I rated this PG-13 because of some things that might not be very suitable for people under 13. This story contains Koumi in the end but the whole thing is centered on Taiora. To all you Taiora fans...this is for you. It's kind of long so please take your time. I was kind of lazy to put it into chapters. I love/hate cliffhangers, too suspenseful. You might or might not like this fic but at least I tried huh? And TAIORA lives on!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Destiny

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where for art thou Romeo?" a young pink-haired girl said. There was no answer. "Where for art thou Romeo?" she asked again impatiently.  
  
"Oh stop, stop!! That's horrible. Tachikawa? Please take it from the top will you? Oh God..." her teacher said. Everyone else sat back in the audience as they watched Mimi Tachikawa rehearse. Sora and her best friend Tai Kamiya were laughing and cracking jokes at the teacher and Mimi. Mr. Jiro Okimoto stared at the two. "What seems to be so funny?" he asked. The two teens quickly stopped laughing and kept a straight face as the rest of the class stared at them.  
  
"Nothing sir...Sora was coughing...because...I gave her a cold I had...I was coughing too," Tai said, making the lamest excuse anyone could ever think of. Sora wanted to crack up even more. Mr. Okimoto stared at her pink face ready to explode in laughter.  
  
"Sora?" he asked, tapping his foot.  
  
"I..." Sora started. "Have a stomach ache..." she lied running out of the auditorium.  
  
  
  
After school, Sora looked to her locker to see if Tai was there. She frowned. She knew he was her best friend and everything...but they weren't 12 anymore, they didn't spend as much time as they used to. She sighed sadly as she watched Tai leave the school with his girlfriend, that Mimi Tachikawa.  
  
"Hey Sora," a voice said behind her. She turned around.  
  
"Oh...hey there Izumi, what's up?" she asked, not really noticing him. She continued to stare at Tai who was now having some kind of small talk with Mimi. Sora tried to concentrate to hear what they were talking about. Izzy was like an inferior object. He stood there annoyed.  
  
"I well...I wanted to talk to you about Taichi," Izzy said, ignoring the drifting look in her eyes. She obviously wasn't listening, but he continued anyways.  
  
"What about him?" Sora asked carelessly. She couldn't find out why she was so mad at him for. She wasn't...jealous or anything.  
  
"He...is a really good friend of mine but I am worried about him...he seems to be..._playing_, if that is the correct word, with girls. Two of them...one is that Catherine girl, and the other...well Mimi Tachikawa."  
  
"It's called two-timing Izzy, it's very common in high school," Sora sighed. She knew that if she ever dated Tai she would be angry with him if she found out he was two-timing her...but of course, she wouldn't want to date him because they were friends. She couldn't like someone she took baths with when they were seven, or fought with over some stupid toys, or even told each other about dates and things...she knew Tai went out with more people than she ever did, so he usually told her about his dates...what he did with some of them...Sora wanted to cringe.  
  
Tai, she thought, that player.  
  
"Yes but...isn't it wrong?" Izzy asked as they walked to his car.  
  
"I don't know...my last boyfriend was two-timing me and I didn't seem to mind. After a while we saw less and less of each other...it's so normal," Sora said. She didn't care about the last boyfriend because she never really liked him. Her friends just kept telling her that he liked her so, when he asked her out she just said yes.  
  
"I never had a girlfriend do that to me," Izzy said.  
  
"That's because you never had a girlfriend Izzy," Sora laughed. Izzy stared at her.  
  
"Yes I did...there was this girl on my online chat--"  
  
"Online huh? So you're having cyber romances," Sora laughed.  
  
"Hey, don't tell me you've never dated online."  
  
"No...I just chat with Tai about...God knows what we talk about each day."  
  
"So you date Tai over the internet?"  
  
"No..." I wish it were real...what?! she thought. "No, of course not. You know he's just my friend."  
  
"Yeah...hey, I've noticed that that Yamato boy is keeping his eye on you," Izzy said.  
  
"Let him, because he's never gonna have this," Sora said, smiling as she winked at Matt Ishida by the trees with his friends. He looked away.  
  
"So...you gonna think of going out with him?" Izzy asked.  
  
"Maybe...if he keeps that staring up," Sora said looking back at Izzy. She needed someone to keep her mind off of this weird feeling she's been having.  
  
  
  
Sora walked to the Culprit's Cafe. There were no real culprits in it but they just called it that because they had to think of at least one stupid name for the cafe.  
  
"Can I have an iced tea?" Sora asked. She paid and they gave her the drink. She looked up and noticed Tai sitting in the boothes next to Catherine Luz. She hated that blonde hair blue-eyed girl. She saw Tai's arm around her and his jacket around her back. She was snuggling with him. Sora wanted to throw up.  
  
Why don't I join them? she asked herself, smiling in a devious way. She sat down next to Catherine and looked to her side as if she just saw them at that moment.  
  
"Tai, oh...what a surprise to see you here," she said as if she hadn't noticed them when she came in.  
  
"Sora! Um...hey...I was just...with Catherine here...I think you two know each other. Cat? This is my best friend in the whole world, Sora Takenouchi. Sora, this is my girlfriend Catherine," he introduced.  
  
"Sure I know her," Catherine said bitterly. "So...Sora, you hang out a lot with Tai?"  
  
"Yeah I do, in fact I hang out with him so much I know him inside and out, from head to toe, top to bottom, side to side. Sure I hang out with him," Sora said. Tai glared at her.  
  
"What!?" Catherine said staring at Tai with disbelief. Tai laughed nervously.  
  
"Hey...Catherine...hehe...you little girl you Sora..." Tai said laughing nervously as he glared at Sora, playfully punching her on her shoulder. "She meant...my history...like when we were little kids...that stuff," Tai said.  
  
"Oh really?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Really, hey it's only you," Tai said, kissing her in front of Sora. Tai glanced at her, knowing, despite the surprise he gave himself, that he was trying to make Sora jealous, but suddenly got a strange feeling that that was just wrong. They were friends. Sora watched them disgustedly then stood up. Tai practically ripped his lips from Catherine.  
  
"I have to go," she said, gritting her teeth. Tai stared after her as she stormed out of the cafe. He swore under his breath and got up. Catherine stared at him surprised by his sudden action of standing up. She continued to hold on to his hand with both of hers.  
  
"Catherine? I...have to go talk to her..." Tai said softly.  
  
"But she's just ruining our date," Catherine complained, touching Tai's cheek gently. He stared at the door.  
  
"I gotta go, sorry about this, I'll take a raincheck okay baby?" Tai said running after Sora. When he caught up with her, he grabbed her arm stopping her before she got any further. "Sora will you stop?" he asked.  
  
"What for? You're busy over there macking on your little girlfriend. I am _oh so sorry_ I bothered you," Sora said.  
  
"Sora why are you acting like this? So I'm going out with Catherine. Big deal. I'm sorry I haven't been spending much time with you but that doesn't mean you have to go and try to ruin our relationship--" Tai said slowly, as if he were trying to make her, including himself, understand.  
  
"So you think I'm ruining your relationship?" Sora asked angrily.  
  
"No So--no--I--aww come on give me a--"  
  
"You just had to slobber all over her when I was right there huh? That's disgusting!" Sora said, yanking her arm away from him.  
  
"Sora, you ruined my date!" Tai yelled.  
  
"You ruined my life!" Sora shouted back, running to her car as she drove away. Tai ran after her car but stopped, knowing he wouldn't catch her.  
  
  
  
  
Sora grabbed a lifesavers from the side of the lifesavers container and put it on the rolling counter. The cashier stared at her.  
  
"Will that be all?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, do you see anything else here?" Sora asked rudely. The lady just put it in a small bag and gave it to her. She was so upset she didn't care who or what she took it out on. She felt blind and angry...and the cashier was one of her victims.  
  
"Have a nice day," she said. Sora ignored her and walked out the door, bumping into someone. She looked up.  
  
"Hey Sora, what a surprise!" the blonde boy said.  
  
Surprise, you probably followed me here, Sora thought, she didn't know how right she was. She smiled innocently at Yamato. "Oh Matt, hey...how's it going?"  
  
"Fine, fine...everything's fine now that you're here...well. Um, I've been meaning to ask you something."  
  
"And what's that?" Sora asked, looking past Matt at her car, hoping she could just get away from everything, especially him.  
  
"Will you go..." he looked at his smiling friends. Sora rolled her eyes. "Will you go to the dance with me on Friday night?" Matt asked.  
  
"Sure, why not," Sora said.  
  
"Great...so...I'll see you there."  
  
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Sora said, smiling as she left the building. "Not," she mumbled.  
  
"Yeah! Got her," Matt said when she left.  
  
"Man, you've been chasing after her since you were 12, what's wrong with you and trying to make her go out with you?" one of Matt's friends asked.  
  
"You wouldn't understand," Matt said.  
  
  
  
"You know what to do after the beep," Tai's dull voice came. Sora smiled.  
  
"Hello? Tai...I wanna talk--"  
  
"Sora?" someone said, quickly picking up the phone.  
  
"Tai? Hey..."  
  
"Look I wanna apologize," Tai said.  
  
"I'm sorry too...I didn't mean to say that," Sora said. She wanted to go over there and hug him right at that moment, hoping he would feel the same way she feels when he's holding her.  
  
"No it's my fault...I shouldn't let some dates get in the way of our plans. I'm being a jerk."  
  
"You're never a jerk Tai..." I love you... Sora whispered in her head. "You're my friend and I should know when you want your privacy."  
  
"Catherine quit!" Sora heard Tai say in the background. She froze and quickly hung up.  
  
  
  
"Sora? Sora...oh shit....Catherine, I think you have to go home," Tai said getting off the couch, putting his shirt and pulling his pants on. Catherine wiped the smile off her face as she got out from under the blankets on the couch. She gave Tai a small baby face.  
  
"I was just--" she started, rubbing his leg as she walked up to him.  
  
"Look she's my best friend, I have to tell her how I feel," Tai said, zipping his pants up as he walked towards the door.  
  
"Like you said, she's your best friend, she'll forgive you someday," Catherine said, holding the blanket up to her naked body underneath. Tai shook his head. Catherine quickly got dressed and went to the door. "Well...I'll call you later..." she whispered, walking out the door.  
  
Tai sighed. What was happening between us? he asked himself, staring at the phone and forgetting that Catherine had been over. He grabbed his phone and quickly called Sora again.  
  
  
  
  
"That jerk! I can't believe myself..." Sora stopped. Why was she acting like that? He was her best friend for God's sakes!! She should be congratulating him and telling him how lucky he is to be with such a pretty girl...but instead, she's been trying to ruin their relationship because of...what's the word...jealousy? Plus there was Mimi.  
  
Sora quickly called Matt up. "Hello?" she heard a voice say.  
  
"Matt? This is Sora."  
  
"Sora, hey I was just thinking about you," Matt said.  
  
"Oh...how sweet..." Sora said sourly.  
  
"You wanna hang out tonight?" Matt asked, ignoring the bitter sound of her voice.  
  
"Sure," Sora said hanging up before he could say anything else.  
  
  
Ring!!! Ring!!!  
  
"Hello?" Tai heard a voice.  
  
"Sora--"  
  
"Got you there didn't I? Please leave your phone number, name, and whatever message you have to give me after you here this..BEEP!! Okay? Bye."  
  
Tai waited. "Hello?" he asked after the beep. "Sora, I know you're at home. Pick up the phone!!"  
  
Sora stared at her phone and walked into her room, ignoring the voice. She couldn't speak to him because it was as if she were trying to call the one person, as if she were some guy-crazed teenage girl with a crush, she really liked and talk to him as if they really clicked. She was too embarassed. She closed her eyes, hoping everything would just go away, especially Tai. The phone continued to ring, but Sora didn't dare get up.  
  
"Dammit!! I hate it when she does that..." Tai said. He looked at the door and found it open. Catherine had left and he hadn't even noticed.  
  
  
  
  
The next day, Tai found Sora talking to Matt Ishida by her locker. He glared hard at him, hoping that just by staring at him he'd disappear. He walked up to them.  
  
"Hey Sora," Tai said. Sora looked at him and looked back at Matt.  
  
"Did you hear anything? Anyways, as I was saying--"  
  
"Sora..." Tai pleaded softly. Matt stared at him.  
  
"The lady wants you to leave," he said, stepping in front of Tai with his arms folded. Sora looked at Tai but quickly pretended she was looking at the hall when he caught her eyes on him.  
  
"I have to talk to her," Tai said stiffly.  
  
"Maybe when she feels like it okay?" Matt said, pushing Tai away.  
  
"Are you touching me? Are you--who the _hell_ gave you the right to touch--you know what Ishida? Shoo!! Shoo!! Go play with your barbies and unicorn dolls," Tai said, moving past Matt. Matt glared at him. He had never liked Tai. Tai always got the bigger chance of being with Sora but he never even tried. Matt never saw them in a way couples were. Just friends...just best friends.  
  
"I said...lea--"  
  
"You said? Ha...you said? I never said you could speak--"  
  
"Tai leave him alone," Sora said. "Let's go Matt." Sora put her arm around Matt's and walked away to their class. He glared at the two. He couldn't believe Sora just blew him off like that, as if they never were real friends in the first place.  
  
"Dammit!!" Tai swore to himself, punching the locker near him. One of his teachers stared at him as he passed by.  
  
"Do you feel that that takes the pain out of everything?" Mr. Kira asked. Tai sighed and shook his head.  
  
"Sometimes sir, hitting something would just make people feel better. It's not that things will be better...forget it..." Tai said softly.  
  
"Sometimes true love doesn't always go the way you want it to, but when it finally does, you know it was your destiny," Mr. Kira said, walking by. Tai stared at the other end of the hall. Mr. Kira stopped. "Oh, by the way Taichi? Get to class."  
  
  
  
  
If I weren't jealous I wouldn't be so mad at Tai...tell me God, is there something wrong with me? I always thought that loving my best friend would be a sin because...for God's sakes...we have done every single thing there is to do in childhood! We were like sisters or brothers, we took baths together, we slept in the same bed together, we fought over who got more candy...we fought about who got the bigger section of the blanket...now I'm falling in love with him? Is there something weird going on in my head? Sora asked herself.  
  
"Sora? Sora? Am I talking to myself here?" Ms. Matsumura said.  
  
Sora looked up at her teacher. "Huh?"  
  
Ms. Matsumura stared at her. "Huh? Huh? Why don't you say that in detention young lady?" she said as she gave a detention slip to Sora.  
  
"I'm sorry I was--"  
  
"Daydreaming? I saw you smooching around with that Matt Ishida boy. Stop. Fantasies are for after school," she said. The class laughed.  
  
Matt Ishida? Yeah right...it would really be easier though if I did because Tai is just... Sora started, thoughtfully.  
  
"Sora!! I said, pay attention!" Ms. Matsumura said, slapping a ruler on her desk, making the class, including her, jump.  
  
"Damn, three detentions in one class. Sora that's going on your record," Izzy said.  
  
"I know...I was just thinking about..." Sora said softly.  
  
"Tai?" Izzy asked.  
  
"Exactly...thank you. You are the first person to say that name for the entire day. Everyone's like, 'Is it Matt?' 'Oooh you're thinking about Yamato Ishida!!' 'Get those dirty thoughts of Ishida out of your head Sora Takenouchi!' " Sora said in a squeaky girlie voice. Izzy shook his head.  
  
"Well, you have been ignoring Tai the whole day. I figured it was about him," Izzy said thoughtfully.  
  
"Izzy? If you were my best friend...would you ever be able to love me? I mean...fall in love with me?" Sora asked, her voice getting softer. She looked around as if making sure no one else heard her.  
  
"Whoa...Sora, you're Taichi's girl. I'm not taking you away from him."  
  
"Tai doesn't feel the same about me..." Sora said softly.  
  
"You'd be surprised," Izzy mumbled.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Go to detention!!" Izzy said pushing her to class. Sora walked away and waved to Izzy.  
  
  
  
  
Tai nervously stared at Sora's door. Should he knock?  
  
Knock, knock.  
  
"Chieri! Can you get the door? I'm busy getting this car to work!" Tai heard Sora'd dad say from the garage.  
  
"Coming, coming..." Sora's mom said, opening the door. "Tai! Oh how nice of you to come by," Chieri Takenouchi said.  
  
"Hey...I was wondering if...Sora's--"  
  
"Oh that child, always thinking about boys. She's in detention. I think it's about that Yamato boy. Ugh...how---anyways, would you like to wait for her?"  
  
"No thanks...I just...was wondering..." Tai said. Yamato huh? he asked himself sadly. He smiled halfheartedly at Sora's mother.  
  
"All right dear. But if you ever want to come back, you know you're welcome here okay?" Mrs. Takenouchi said.  
  
"Yes ma'am," Tai said walking out the door.  
  
  
  
Later that night, Sora looked up at the sign on the Kamiya's house. It said in all capital letters, 'KAMIYA' on a polished wooden sign. She had seen it many times but...for some odd reason this was different. Standing on that same doormat, staring at that same door. For 13 years of being his best friend...knowing that he lived right there in that apartment. She knocked.  
  
The door swung open and there stood a young girl about 13 years old staring up at her. She had her walkman on and Sora could hear the song from it:  
  
  
_"...but before something came between us,  
You were like my best friend,  
The one I used to talk to  
When me and my girl were having problems--"  
_  
"Sora? Sora? Are you okay?" Kari asked. Sora shook her head and stared at her. She didn't notice she had been gawking at one side of Kari's walkman.  
  
"I was...thinking sorry...Is Tai home?" Sora asked.  
  
"Uh...sorry, you could have caught him earlier but he went out on a date," Kari said. She looked up into Sora's eyes. Kari knew by just staring at Sora's and Tai's eyes that they had weird feelings inside of them that they were afraid to show.  
  
"Date huh?"  
  
"Yeah...sorry. If you want you could-"  
  
"No...I have to go anyways...I have things to..um do..." Sora said, walking away from the Kamiya household.  
  
  
Tai walked into his house smiling, and went to his room. As he passed the living room Kari said something that he had been meaning to deal with.  
  
"Sora came by while you were on your little date," Kari said. Tai stopped and stared at her.  
  
"What did she say?" he asked eagerly.  
  
"She said...'I hate Tai! That damn jerk! Kari? Can you tell him to stay out of my life because I hate him and I love Matt now!!' Then she ran out crying."  
  
"What!?" Tai said, not believing anything she was saying.  
  
"Got you there didn't I?" Kari said.  
  
"Ugh...what did she really say?" Tai said impatiently.  
  
"She asked if she could talk to you...but you're too busy juggling with your two little girlfriends to even speak to your best friend anymore," Kari said. Tai sighed.  
  
"She...I...we keep catching each other in all the wrong places and times...God...Kari what am I going to do?" Tai asked staring at his sister with extreme desperation. She smiled, seeing his face in the corner of her eye.  
  
"Call her maybe..." Kari said, staring at the screen on her gameboy.  
  
"Sure?" Tai asked, biting his nails.  
  
"And that smile you had when you walked in, don't ever do it again," Kari said. Tai stared at his gameboy-absorbed sister. How did she see him smiling? He didn't even know why he was smiling...  
  
...flashback...  
  
"I had a really great night Tai..." Mimi said. Tai smiled at her...but instead of seeing Mimi's face, he saw Sora's.  
  
"Me...too," Tai said. He shook his head and wiped his smile off his face.  
  
"Well...I better be leaving now..."  
  
"Okay, wait," Tai said, kissing her lips. Mimi kissed him back thinking that Tai had never, ever, EVER kissed her like that before. When they pulled away, he had a goofy smile on his face and he whispered. "Sora..."  
  
"What?" Mimi asked.  
  
Tai shook his head again. "Mimi...I said...Mimi," Tai corrected himself.  
  
"Good...because if you're saying some other girl's name while you're kissing me young man, you will never have this again," Mimi said, pointing to herself. Tai nodded and walked into his house.  
  
"Sora..." he sighed, smiling.  
  
...end...  
  
"Tai? Are you going to call her or what?" Kari asked.  
  
"Yeah...I will," Tai said, picking up the phone. He heard countless rings before the answering machine went on. "Sora, if you're home answer me...I haven't talked to you in days..." He looked around the room. "I...kinda miss you."  
  
Still there was no answer.  
  
"I'm going to her house," Tai said walking out the door.  
  
  
  
"So...we're at your house now..." Matt said standing next to her by her door. Sora nodded.  
  
"Yeah...well, bye!" she said walking into her house.  
  
"Hold on..." Matt said, grabbing her arm and kissing her. Sora pulled away and slapped him.  
  
"No one gave you a right to kiss me!" she said. Matt looked down at his feet.  
  
"I thought you wanted to...I mean...kiss me..." Matt said.  
  
"Well you thought wro--" Sora stopped when she saw Tai walking down the hall towards her house. She quickly grabbed Matt and french-kissed him. His eyes were wide open as Sora pushed him against the door. Tai stared, his eyes twice as wide as Matt's were.  
  
"So you guys were on a date or something?" Tai asked as calmly as he could make her voice. Sora pulled away quickly as Tai approached them before Matt could even realize what was going on.  
  
"In fact we were," she said coldly. "Oh, tell Catherine that's how you french-kiss someone."  
  
"Sora..." Tai said softly, his voice obvious with hurt and envy mixed in one. Sora stared at him. The look on his face was hurt...just plain hurt. She was being stubborn. She still wouldn't forgive him for that one stupid day that everything was messed up. Who cared if Tai was fooling around with Catherine...who cared..._who cared but her_?  
  
"Tai, go away, we were busy," Matt said smiling as he walked closer to Sora. Sora moved away from him annoyed but trying not to show it.  
  
"Matt not now," Sora said pushing him away as he put his arms around her waist.  
  
"O...kay," Matt said, standing back patiently. Sora walked down the steps in front of her house, walking up to Tai.  
  
"Tai look...I'm sorry..." she said.  
  
"No, I'm sorry about Catherine...I should have called you when she wasn't there...it's my fault."  
  
"So what were you doing with her?" Sora asked, completely forgetting about Matt, who was still standing there at her door.  
  
"I was...we were watching a movie..." Tai said, looking down at his feet.  
  
"Really?" Sora asked, swallowing her anger.  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Tai, were you and her..." Sora said calmly.  
  
"We were watching a movie.... I w--" Tai tried to explain without really explaining what happened.  
  
"Did you or did you not--" Sora said calmly but forcefully.  
  
"Yes!! We did...I did...she did...we both did...because I was trying to get--" you out of my head...in the stupidest way... Tai continued in his head, feeling horrible. He continued to stare at his feet. Sora bit her lip, she really looked hurt.  
  
"So...was she good?" Sora asked, her voice rising with a fervent anger.  
  
"Sora...it's not like that. I don't--God...why did you ask me? You know I can never lie to you."  
  
"I gotta go inside. Matt?" Sora said. Matt looked at her. "You should go."  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow night though, right?" he asked.  
  
"Uh-huh," Sora said shutting the door in front of the two guys. Matt left, shoving past Tai as he left. He grinned nastily, but Tai ignored the look, to Tai, that was so annoying he wanted to punch him.Tai walked up to her door and knocked.  
  
"Sora...open the door dammit."  
  
"Why?" Sora asked behind the door. Tai could tell she was leaning against it because of the closeness of her voice.  
  
"Because I want to know what happened and what you meant when I told you you ruined my date and you said I ruined your life."  
  
There was no answer.  
  
"Sora answer me!! What did you mean by I ruined your life?"  
  
"I...didn't mean anything by it," Sora said, opening the door. She stared at Tai sitting on the floormat.  
  
Tai stared at her, walking closer to her inside her house. Sora could feel his breath against her face as she stared at how close his face was to hers. Sora closed the door behind him and quickly looked away.  
  
"I was just...I was just...mad," Sora said, sitting down on the couch.  
  
"I'm sorry about Catherine...and--"  
  
"Mimi. I know about your little rendezvous with her," Sora said.  
  
"That too..." Tai said embarassed.  
  
"If you're sorry then why are you going out with them instead of me?" Sora wanted to ask. Instead she said, "Okay...but why did you...and Catherine? Do you love her?"  
  
"I don't know! Don't ask me things I can't answer," Tai said sitting down on the coffee table.  
  
"You can answer that. Do you love her?" Sora asked.  
  
"Sora...I came here to apologize, not tell you if I love Catherine or not."  
  
"Well okay, you're forgiven," Sora said opening the front door. "Bye."  
  
"Sora--I'm sorry...God...why is this so hard for me?"  
  
"Because things are changing between us. We're not eight anymore...we don't play with toys anymore...instead we play with hearts."  
  
"Sora, I'm not playing anyone's heart--"  
  
"Tai don't make me laugh. Mimi? Catherine?" Me... "You should know by now what you're dealing with when you're with those girls. If they found out you were playing them, they'd murder each other, screaming, 'You stole my man you slut!!' 'Keep away! His ass is mine!' " Sora imitated the two girls. Tai laughed. For some reason, he could imagine the two girls ripping each other's hair and throats out. Sora couldn't help but laugh with him. The two stared at each other and continued to laugh.  
  
  
  
"So you forgive me?" Tai asked as they lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling. Sora just smiled. "Well?"  
  
"Maybe..." she whispered.  
  
"I've never noticed how high your ceiling was," Tai said, staring up at it.  
  
"Me neither. Hey remember when we were seven, we went into my mother's bedroom and scared her with our Halloween costumes. She would get mad at us and we'd end up fighting each other?" Sora said.  
  
"Yeah...but you gave me that Snickers candy and we made up," Tai said, laughing. Sora smiled and closed her eyes.  
  
"I wish we were seven again," she said.  
  
"Why? I don't."  
  
"Why not?" Sora asked.  
  
"Because I wouldn't be able to do this," Tai said, kissing her gently. Sora kissed him back, pulling him down on the bed. This used to be their sanctuary of telling each other scary stories, but now...Sora thought about it differently. She pulled away from Tai and stared into his eyes. He kissed her again, a kiss longer this time. His hand began to stroke her back. She wrapped her arms around him slowly and sensually. Tai's kiss was so soft she barely noticed it moving to her neck.  
  
"Oh Tai..." Sora whispered softly when they pulled away, staring into each other's eyes, showing the other a look they have never shown each other.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sora had ignored Tai for an entire two weeks after that night. She couldn't believe he kissed her and they almost had sex with each other. Two best friends. They would have to think before they would do something. She smiled thinking how responsible Tai was, not going further with her. Sora shook her head. Tai was like her brother...no...not her brother... She looked up at Ms. Matsumura. She was staring at Sora as well.  
  
"Thank you for paying attention today Sora," Ms. Matsumura said.  
  
"Yeah..." Sora smiled. She still couldn't get the thought of ever seeing Tai's naked body out of her head. She started hitting her head as if something happened to the megabytes in someone's computer and they were fed up with trying to fix it the 'nice' way.  
  
At lunch, Sora slammed her books on the table in front of Izzy's laptop. He stood up from surprise.  
  
"Have you talked to Tai yet?" Sora asked.  
  
"Yes...of course, I'm not the one who kissed him then ignored him the whole two weeks," Izzy smirked.  
  
"What?! He told you?" Sora asked bewildered.  
  
"Are you sure all you did was kiss? I mean...two 16-year-olds on a bed all by themselves...hm...just 'kissing' is a little too innocent for that type of situation," Izzy said, ignoring her question.  
  
"Izzy shut up. Yes I am definitely sure all we did was kiss. Tai wouldn't knock me out and do me. He's not like that."  
  
"Whoa....you didn't have to put it that way," Izzy said.  
  
"Izzy...should I talk to him? About Catherine? Or Mimi? Or Matt?"  
  
"Matt? When did he get in the picture."  
  
"I kissed him before...'the incident'."  
  
"You kissed Yamato Ishida?"  
  
"I was trying to get Tai mad...then I knew it was too much...but I just sent Matt away without telling him anything about me not really liking him. It would be okay if we were just friends but I know us, as a couple, will never work out."  
  
"Sora, talk to him. I mean two weeks."  
  
"Well, what if you had a best friend that--"  
  
"Whoa!! Whoa there girl...my best friend is a guy...and I am definitely sure I'm not..."  
  
"Sorry," Sora said bashfully, laughing nervously.  
  
"You should be."  
  
"What do I do?"  
  
"Figure it out because he's coming right now," Izzy said, picking up his laptop and leaving the table before Sora could protest. Tai sat down silently in front of her. She looked around the room.  
  
"Where's Izzy going?" Tai asked.  
  
"I don't know..." Sora said softly. So soft it was almost a mumble. Tai nodded the looked at his food. Sora felt as if she would die from the silence. Her heart beat so fast it was as if her chest was going to explode and her heart would come out.  
  
"So...nice food huh?" Tai asked, continuing to stare at the cafeteria food. Sora just nodded. "Um...were you busy the past two weeks because..."  
  
"I was...just with my mother and all," she said. "The flower shop could get pretty busy."  
  
"Yeah...anyways...did I tell you? I found out Catherine was two-timing me."  
  
"I'm sorry..." Sora said looking down at the table.  
  
"No big deal..." Tai said staring at his food, untouched. As he stared at it he didn't even feel like eating anymore. He just wanted...  
  
"What...about Mimi?" the girl in front of him said. He looked up at her from his daydream.  
  
"I don't know...what about Matt?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
There was silence between the two. Suddenly the bell rang. Sora looked up at the sky and mouthed a 'thank you' then stood up.  
  
"Well, gotta get to class now huh?" she said, feigning a laugh.  
  
"Yeah...I'll go...but...will you come to practice after school?" he asked. Sora stopped.  
  
"Um, I think I'm going to be busy later," Sora lied.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yeah...bye," she said heading down the hall. Tai stared after her. He knew somewhere inside of him that he wanted to follow her, but his feet wouldn't move. He just sat there until he really had to leave.  
  
  
  
"Well?" Kari asked when Tai came home from practice. "Did she take the offer to go to the soccer practice?" Tai shook his head. "What? Didn't you two...?"  
  
"No! I would never...all we did was kiss. Man, why does everyone think we--"  
  
"Then what seems to be the problem?" Kari said, interrupting him.  
  
"The problem? She's my best friend! You don't just suddenly change the relationship between your best friend by asking her out! Who do you think I am?"  
  
"Tai. I think you are Tai. Dammit Tai you and Catherine were here...and you're afraid to ask the girl you love out?"  
  
"How do you or _I_ know that I love Sora?"  
  
"Because of the way you act...for example, I saw you outside the door after your date with Mimi...'Sora...' what was that? Saying her name TWICE after you kissed a girl far from Sora?" Kari smirked, knowing exactly what Tai was thinking about that night but was too proud to tell him in the first place, hoping he'd figure it out.  
  
"I was..."  
  
"You were thinking about her."  
  
"Kari, stop trying to play matchmaker."  
  
"I'm not...it was your destiny."  
  
"Destiny? You believe that stuff?" Tai asked, laughing as he threw his backpack on the ground.  
  
"Yes," Kari said, picking up and hanging it on the rack near the door.  
  
"Well I don't..." Tai said, turning on the radio, throwing his shoes on the ground. Kari picked it up and put it outside of the house.  
  
"Yes you do."  
  
  
  
"Matt? I need to talk to you," Sora said, tapping Matt lightly on the shoulder. He looked up from his table.  
  
"Sora not now, we have study hall," Matt whispered shushing her.  
  
"This is important. I have to tell you before you do any type of test or before we go on our date tonight," Sora said.  
  
Matt pulled her outside. "What's it about?" he asked.  
  
"It's about us..." Sora said.  
  
"What about us?"  
  
"That's the problem."  
  
"What is?" Matt asked, confused.  
  
"There never was an us...I'm sorry I used you," Sora said.  
  
Matt just smiled. "I knew it all along. But I didn't care. I thought that maybe you'd start liking me after Tai and Catherine went out but...obviously you didn't seem to get over him. Still...after that kiss you gave me...I just thought that..." Matt said. Sora stared at him understandingly.  
  
"I'm glad you understand Matt, thanks..." Sora said softly.  
  
Matt smiled. "See you around?" he asked. He knew deep inside him that he was still envious of Tai...he had his chance before and even after everything that has happened...he still had that chance.  
  
"Yeah," Sora said getting in her car and driving away. Matt stared after her.  
  
Oh well, he thought. There are other girls out there.  
  
Sora found herself standing at the hall where the dance was going to happen. She stared at it. The doors were closed and there were workers inside trying to fix it up. It was going to be gorgeous...but she wasn't going to go.  
  
"It's starting out nice huh?" Sora heard a voice behind her.  
  
"Yeah," Sora said turning around. She looked sadly at the boy standing in front of her. "Tai..."  
  
"Would you like to go to the dance with me, best friend?" he asked, holding his hand out to her. She stared at his hand and didn't move.  
  
"I'll think about it...Tai...I don't feel like dealing with anything about anything right now...I have to go," Sora said.  
  
"If you go, that means you said yes, if you don't go that means..." Tai said softly.  
  
Sora stopped and stared at him. Then continued to leave.  
  
  
  
"Mimi? I can't go with you to the dance," Tai said over the phone.  
  
"Why not?" Mimi asked.  
  
"Because--"  
  
"I know, because you're going with someone else?" Mimi asked angrily.  
  
"I--"  
  
"I had plans for us Kamiya! We were going to travel together and go the a Bahamas cruise. We were going to buy a little shih tzu. We were going to live on a ranch together and get married and have many, many children until the day we die in each others' arms at the age of 75. I was planning on having generations of grand, great-grand, and great-great grand children with you...Oh Taichi Kamiya I love you! I will have my way!! You will come to the dance with me," Mimi said. Tai stared at his phone strangely.  
  
"Sorry Mimi...it's not my destiny," Tai said and hung up.  
  
"Bu--"  
  
Tai stared at his tux hanging at his dresser. He would go that night and see what she really wants. If she doesn't show up...he knows she only wants to be friends...even if he knew their friendship would never be the same.  
  
  
  
  
  
Friday morning was strange...Tai looked up at breakfast table at his sister. She was still wearing her walkman and playing her gameboy. He sighed. It really didn't feel like 'just another day'.  
  
School was also strange. He hadn't talked to Sora because she wouldn't talk to him. He called her over the weeks countless times but she would return the calls. He was beginning to wonder if she still even wanted to be his best friend.  
  
He just thought, The dance is tonight...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So who are you going with Izzy?"  
  
"Um...don't get angry," Izzy said to Tai.  
  
"Why? Who is it?"  
  
"Um..." he looked around. "It's...Mimi," he said.  
  
"Really?" Tai said. Izzy shut his eyes, waiting for the punch, jab, anything that would hurt. But instead, he got a pat on the back. "That's great. Mimi's a nice girl," Tai said.  
  
"Who are you going with?" Izzy asked, loosening up.  
  
"I don't know..." Tai said, staring at his food blankly.  
  
"How can you not know? There are so many girls out there wanting to go to the dance with you...of course they want to go with Yamato Ishida also but...there are so many that are leaving notes on your locker."  
  
"I know but...I don't want any of them..." Tai said.  
  
"I know...what this is about..." Izzy said, understandingly.  
  
"No you don't."  
  
"You don't think I've been listening to what you've been talking about with me about that...particular...girl?"  
  
"Izzy...we're just friends."  
  
"You like that phrase don't you? Even if you know inside that thick hair of yours where there might ACTUALLY be a brain, you know it isn't true and you don't want it to be true," Izzy said.  
  
"I gotta go."  
  
"You can't avoid the fact that you love her!" Izzy called after Tai. Tai just walked out the school and headed for his house.  
  
I don't love her... he told himself. I love her...  
  
  
  
Sora let her mother pick out her dress. She stared at it. It was a dark red dress that went all the way up to her ankles. The sides were just two thin straps that went criss-cross on her back. There was a single rose in the center at the top. The dress was simple but elegant. She stared at her nails. They were all bitten off because of her nervousness. She knew this would be the first time anyone saw her with a dress on...even Tai. But...did she really want to go?  
  
If she went...their friendship would be completely changed. There would be a chance that they could hurt each other and everything would be ruined. She would be hurting him and she didn't want that. But if she didn't go...she would not only ruin their friendship more than it already was but hurt Tai also. Either way...she could end up hurting her best friend.  
  
So as the day went by, Sora just stared at it, refusing to come out for lunch or dinner. Her mother knocked on the door.  
  
"Sora dear? The dance is almost about to begin," her mother said.  
  
"I know mom..."  
  
"You're going right?" she asked, sitting down next to Sora.  
  
"I don't know..." Sora said softly. "I just don't know..."  
  
  
  
  
Tai walked into the multi-use room. He knew the school couldn't afford to pay for a dance in some other place so they just decorated the auditorium. Still, Tai couldn't recognize that it used to be the gym.  
  
He saw all his friends and some guys and girls staring at him as he walked in bashfully. He sat down at a table where Izzy was.  
  
"Hey Iz...have you seen...?" he asked. Izzy shook his head sadly. He smiled at his date.  
  
"You look cool Tai," Mimi said, sweetly.  
  
"You too Mimi..and look I'm really--"  
  
"No it's fine. I'm with Izzy now, anyways...he told me about your so-called 'best friend'. I think you should go for it," Mimi said, giving Tai a friendly smile.  
  
"Really?" Tai asked.  
  
"Yeah," Mimi said sweetly. She gently kissed Izzy's cheek. In the dark, Tai could still tell Izzy was blushing. He smiled. Izzy was like a little kid getting kissed for the first time, hopefully Tai thought, that, that wasn't the case.  
  
He waited for almost the entire time the dance was held. He had hoped that she would still come...but there was no sign of her anywhere. He continued to stare at the door. The dance was almost over and she still didn't show up.  
  
He noticed Catherine standing there by herself. Should he go up to her? he asked himself. Tai did anyways.  
  
"Hey Catherine..." he said, walking slowly towards her.  
  
"Tai..." she said, looking around.  
  
"Where's your date?" he asked.  
  
"He's coming here right now," she said, looking behind Tai. He turned around and saw Matt walking toward them. Catherine smiled. "Hey Matt," she said.  
  
Matt stared at Tai. "Hey don't try and steal this girl now, you've stolen one too many," Matt said smiling. Tai just smiled and shook his head.  
  
"Don't worry, it's not why I'm here," Tai said walking away as the couple danced. Two hours later. The dance was almost over and some people already left. Tai was beginning to feel embarassed of himself staying there...alone. He knew he couldn't stay there anymore. He would only hurt himself more than how Sora was already hurting him.  
  
Tai decided to leave. "Hey Tai? Where are you going?" Izzy asked.  
  
"I have to leave..." Tai said, smiling halfheartedly. "She didn't show up..."  
  
"I'm sorry..." Izzy said.  
  
"Hey, it wasn't your fault...Kari was wrong too. My destiny...damn that destiny crap," Tai muttered the last part softly. He said good-bye to his friends and headed out the door.  
  
The sky was cold and Tai was all by himself. He wanted to go home, but instead he just sat there at the empty sidewalk. The street lamp suddenly came out.  
  
"Dammit--sh--uh...this is just...haha...great..." Tai said, sarcastically as he stared into the darkness. His day turned out to be the worst. He sighed. He had been sighing a lot that week, he didn't know why.  
  
"I knew it..." he whispered, putting the single rose he's been holding the whole day on the ground. He stared at it.  
  
"Knew what? You knew nothing," a voice said in front of him. He looked up...to find the most beautiful angel he had ever laid eyes on.  
  
"Sora?" he gasped slowly standing up. Instead, he felt as though he were floating up. She smiled and nodded. Her hair was up...she was wearing a dress...was this really her? He felt as though he wouldn't be able to breathe. She was the first girl that had ever taken his breath away and she had been there all along. That was why he had been sighing a lot that whole week. He grabbed the rose and gently put it in her hand. She smiled at him and took it silently.  
  
"You're leaving so soon?" she asked, holding the rose close to her.  
  
"I thought..." Tai began. She gently touched his cheek.  
  
"You thought wrong, because when it comes to you...I will always be there," Sora said, wrapping her arms around him as she gave him the most perfect kiss anyone has ever given him. Tai felt awkward about putting his arms around her but when he did...he never wanted to let go. When he pulled away from her, he closed his mouth, continuing to taste her lips on his. She stared at him and smiled. "You liked that didn't you?" Sora asked, touching his cheek.  
  
Tai nodded and smiled back, kissing her again, this time, the kiss was more intense, and Tai just couldn't fight himself to pull away.  
  
"I'm sorry I never told you about how I really felt about you..." Sora whispered breathlessly. Tai tucked some of her loose hair behind her ear.  
  
"You don't have to say anything...because...I feel the same way and you know it," he said, just as truthfully as she said it. He stared lovingly at her.  
  
It was destiny... Tai thought as the two of them walked back to the auditorium, hand in hand.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
a/n: End!! Please review. I know it was really long.  
  
  



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